As the first semester approaches its end, first year teacher, Meggie O’Keefe, is settling into the Cotter family.  We had the chance to ask her about her background and her initial thoughts on Cotter and teaching.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Blaine and Andover, Minnesota. They are suburbs north of the Twin Cities and are about a 3-hour drive from Winona. I have 5 younger siblings (3 brothers and 2 sisters) so our house was always crowded. I loved growing up in a big family – there was always someone to talk to and something exciting happening, even if it did get little crazy sometimes.

How did you hear about the job at Cotter and why did you apply?

I was a graduate student at St. Mary’s here in Winona last spring. Dr. Luedtke, one of my professors, e-mailed me about this opportunity. I felt drawn to Cotter’s mission as a Catholic school that strives to live by values of faith and service. My philosophy on job applications was (and still is) to apply to as many places as possible because during an interview you learn as much about the company (or school) as they learn about you. In other words, you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. I felt very strongly drawn to Cotter when I interviewed.

What is your background?  Where did you go to college?  What did you study?

I went to the University of Notre Dame. Go Irish! I studied History and Political Science. I always thought I would go to law school or work for the government, but found that neither of those were a fit for me.

Why did you decide to be a high school social studies teacher?

I did not so much decide to be a high school social studies teacher as feel called to be one. I thought about teaching when I was a senior in college but ruled it out because I

was scared that teaching would not pay enough money to pay my student loans from college, and I did not want to go to school for a few more years if I was not 100% sure that I wanted to be a teacher.

After I had been working in banking for a while I found that I was not passionate about working in financial services and did not feel that my talents and abilities were being put to their best use. I also wanted to move back to Minnesota (I was living in Delaware) at the time.  I decided to make moving back to Minnesota my #1 priority, so I was looking for jobs in financial services in Minnesota.  I came back to Minnesota on vacation to interview with a few companies in June 2013.  It was not going well.  Something was missing in my interviews, and I felt none of the positions or the companies I was interviewing with would really satisfy my need to do work that I felt was meaningful and allowed me to make a positive impact in the lives of others each day.

I had a dream on my last night at home. I was in a classroom, and I was the teacher. I had a powerful feeling of peace and rightness in my dream. I woke up the next morning and realized that I had been asking the wrong question for years. I had been asking myself “What do I want to do?” instead of “What is God calling me to do?” It was with that dream that I realized that all along God had been calling me to teach. I had tutored in college and loved it. My favorite part of my job at M&T Bank was explaining financial concepts to clients, especially recent high school graduates opening their first accounts. I got on a plane to return to Delaware that day and got stuck at Midway Airport in Chicago for 6 hours. I used that time to write my resignation letter. I quit my job the next day. I did not have a plan. All I knew was that if I did not make a change immediately I might not have the courage to listen to God’s plan for my life as I knew it had been revealed to me. I moved back to Minnesota and began looking for part-time work and a teaching program that would allow me to start as soon as possible. I found St. Mary’s University. They admitted me (on very late notice) to the Master of Arts in Instruction Program, and I spent the next year working on my Master’s Degree and my teaching license.

In many respects my decision to become a teacher was incredibly hasty and rash, but that leap of faith was the best decision I have ever made.

What other sorts of work experiences have you had?

• I interned at the Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty in St. Paul, Minnesota.
• I also spent a summer interning at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
• I worked at M&T Bank in the Retail Banking Management Development Program for 1  year in Wilmington, Delaware. I spent a lot of time during that year in management training in Buffalo, NY (this is where I got the buffalo stress ball on my desk).

How long and where have you been teaching?

This is my first year.

What ideas do you bring to the school?

I really want to find ways to help students learn to become better readers and writers. I want to find ways to engage students by making class relevant to their lives and help them practice skills they will need in the real word (thinking critically, debating, understanding complicated texts and information).

What are some of your interests and hobbies?

I love to read. I am always reading at least 1 book and usually have 2-3 going at the same time. I enjoy hiking, biking, and running – especially in beautiful Winona. I like cooking and baking and enjoy trying new recipes.

How long do you plan on working here?

I really love working here. I do not know what the future holds, but would like to stay connected to Cotter for a long time.

Do you have any future plans or goals?

These are in no particular order:

• earn my Ph.D.
• learn how to grow tomatoes in my very small yard space
• run a half marathon
• see the world (or at least more of it – I have not had the opportunity to travel very much)
• learn another language (I am only fluent in English, but I speak a little Spanish and a little French)
• Get involved in politics/government – working on a campaign or maybe even running for office someday
• Make a difference in the lives of others

What are your first impressions of Cotter?

It cannot be possible that this many amazing, compassionate, inspiring, and fun people are actually part of one organization. I feel really blessed to be here.

How is the job going so far?  What are the best parts?  What are the challenges?

The best part is getting to know students and interacting with them in class and beyond the classroom. I love the random fun moments and the moments that I can see I helped someone understand something they did not get before. The challenge istrying to balance everything I am trying to do so that I get enough sleep, rest, and exercise. I have to accept that not everything I do can be perfect. As a life-long perfectionist I find this challenging, but I think I am getting better at letting go.

What would you like to see happen in the school  this year?

I would like to see everyone at Cotter achieve more than they thought possible at the beginning of the year.

If you could give students one piece of advice for high school or life, what would it be?

Do not let fear stop you from becoming what God is calling you to be. Jesus tells us throughout the Gospel not to be afraid because He is with us. Learn to trust Him with your life. I can think of so many instances in my life in which I did not do something that I now wish I had done because I was paralyzed with fear. I know that there will still be times like this in my life, but I am learning not to let fear determine my decisions and my actions.

What do her students think of her?

Erin Derks, senior, said, “I really enjoy Ms. O’Keefe, in class and outside of it.  I can tell she really loves teaching, which makes me like learning from her.  Altogether, [she is] really a great person.”

Oh yeah, it’s almost Christmas, so it’s ok for first year teacher’s to smile now, but Ms. O’Keefe already knew that!